Summerwood girls camp 2013

Rachel Bankhead of Atascocita took every chance she got to catch a frog during the 2013 Girls’ Camp in Dequincy, La Frogs are some of Rachel’s passions.

More than 60 area girls aged 12-18 turned off all their electronic gadgets and headed to Camp Edgewood in Dequincy,

La., to attend Girls’ Camp for the Summerwood Stake congregations of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (An LDS stake is a geographic area comprised of eight or more congregations. Summerwood Stake congregations include members from Fall Creek, Summerwood, Pine Trails, Liberty/Dayton, Atascocita, Eagle Springs, and Galena Park.)

Camp leaders said they encouraged girls to leave behind their electronics and their usual daily distractions in order to discover ways to draw closer to God, serve others, build friendships, and learn new skills.

Mary Banks, Rachel Bankhead and Kenzie Tate help decorate pages for photo books to benefit foster children in Montgomery County.

Lenae Shelton, 13, of Atascocita, said without her electronics she appreciated things around her she usually does not notice. “I had a great experience at camp. One night we were singing and I looked up at the dark blue sky all around us. It was beautiful.”

This year’s activities focused on the theme, “Anchored in Christ”.

“Being anchored in Christ gives the girls a sense of identity that will help them understand who they are and will change them for the better. At camp we showed the girls how this relationship with the Savior comes across in their behavior, dress, attitude, and the way they treat others,” said Kim Bodily, a camp leader from Eagle Springs.

The girls spent five days at Camp Edgewood involved in activities such as archery, crafts, canoeing, and climbing rock walls. In between activities they used quiet times to meditate, pray, and read scriptures. In the evenings they gathered together for skits, special programs and instruction, and devotionals.

Bella Dominguez and Hannah Shivers canoe across Lake Edgewood. Girls had the opportunity to enjoy water sports, crafting, and archery, among other activities.

The girls also spent time at camp in service to each other and the community.

“We were given the goal to do three acts of service every day. I would fill water bottles, clean trash, and visit with any girls who were sick. I felt happy doing the service and my love grew for the people I served,” said Darby Moulton, 12, of Atascocita.

The girls joined together in a group service project and made 100 photo albums to benefit foster children in Montgomery County.

Nikki Brown, a camp leader from Summerwood who headed the service project, said, “We decorated and assembled pages for photo albums for children in foster care.

Girls scale a rock wall during their free time at the 2013 Girls’ Camp in Dequincy, La. for the Summerwood area of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The children can add photos and details about themselves to the albums which can then become memory books.”

“It was my first year at camp. I had a great time meeting lots of new people,” said Lydia Palmer, 12, of Atascocita.

Learn more about Girls’ Camp and other youth programs of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at lds.org.